2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 Lifted Truck Excels On- and Off-road

Chevy’s lifted 1500 is so much more than a 4x4 rock crawler. Here's what to know about the 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2.

The 2023 Chevy Silverado ZR2 isn’t the most extreme off-roading truck you can buy from a dealer. (Look to Ford’s Raptor R or Ram’s TRX for that.) But you might consider that an asset, not a deficit. 

While those trucks are jacked even higher and are exceedingly capable off-pavement, they guzzle gas and their macho off-road rubber makes them a bit less civil on pavement. The Silverado ZR2 can churn over obstacles, but this isn’t its only attribute. Here’s why a little less bombast from the bowtie brand makes the Silverado ZR2 the best 4x4 to drive on the daily. 

What a Little Lift Buys You in the Chevy Silverado ZR2

The ZR2 package is lifted four inches higher than you get with the standard 4WD Silverado 1500. Its 68-inch bed crew-cab version rises to 11.2 inches off the ground. That’s neither as tall as the Raptor’s 12 inches or the TRX’s 11.8 inches, but it leads to nearly comparable approach and departure as well as breakover angles (basically, how steep a surface you can climb, how likely you are to scrape on exit, and how likely you are to hang up your rig in the middle of its undercarriage.) 

Since the ZR2 barely trails the Ram and Ford, but rides a little lower, it’s giving you a more civilized existence for most of the driving you’re apt to do—unless you happen to live at the end of a forest road in Alaska.

A Suspension That’s Better On- and Off-pavement

You know that dude on your block with the mega lifted truck on massive springs? You can bet that thing wanders all over the pavement and, sure, works well off-road, but it’s not really meant for cornering on blacktop. Chevy doesn’t approach the solution for that problem the way your neighbor has. 

Instead, the ZR2 gets uniquely valved dampers with both on- and off-road specific damping and three oil chambers. The reason for the multiple chambers is to address the longer throw of this Silverado’s suspension, and to allow both tuned rebound as well as compression damping at high speeds (hitting a pothole on the Interstate) and somewhat slower ones (steadying your way along a washboard dirt track in a forest). 

The ZR2 can feel a bit stiffer than its competitors around town, but not painfully so, and it more than inspires confidence for daily drives. Most of all, the suspension feels matched for pavement, and off-road there’s plenty of articulation to crawl carefully over and around obstacles. Plus, Chevy adds a specific off-road mode that works like cruise control and armors the undercarriage with a sturdy skid plate. 

Moreover, it’s not all about the gnar: There are smart design elements on the exterior for daily use, like cuts in the tailgate bumpers to step easily into the bed without dropping the tailgate—which, by the way, also splits in two, folding at the top to form a step-up for easy access when you’re loading and unloading sod or working the anchors to hold your off-road moto. 

How Much Does the Chevy Silverado ZR2 Cost?

The 6.2-liter V-8 in the Silverado ZR2 produces 420 horsepower and it’s paired to a very smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission. No way that rivals Ford’s Raptor R and its 700 horsepower, or the Ram TRX and its 702 horses, but Ram’s 10 city and 14 mpg will have you crying at the pump. At least ZR2’s 14 city and 17 highway aren’t as bad. 

No, you won’t win any stoplight wars, but the ZR2’s 8,900 pounds of towing capacity actually bests both Ford and Ram. Oh, and $69,800 isn’t cheap for a ZR2—but it’s a whole second car more affordable than the $109,000 Ford wants for the Raptor R. Something to think about...